


Seeds of a Dilemma

by Squirrel_Stone



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Apples of Idunn, Canon Divergence - Thor: The Dark World, Dom/sub Undertones, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Hades and Persephone AU, Slow Build, Slow Burn, at least for now, sex without emotional attachment
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-26
Updated: 2016-01-17
Packaged: 2018-05-09 13:46:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 14,338
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5542175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Squirrel_Stone/pseuds/Squirrel_Stone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After saving the realms from Dark Elves, Odin offers Loki a reprieve- one that he knows Loki won't succeed in attaining. He should know better than to underestimate the God of Mischief and Lies.</p><p>AKA, the Hades/Persephone AU we all need</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Loki kept his back straight, his head high and defiant as he was led through the gilded throne room, paraded around like some prize pig before it went to the slaughter. All eyes were on him, whispers filling the room, wondering what the Allfather had in store for him. Would he been locked up with the key thrown away like last time? Would he be killed? Or would the Allfather seek a more creative punishment like sewing his lips or dripping snake venom down on his body?

The unwanted prince expected no better than he’d received last time he’d been dragged before the king- in fact, he expected worse since he was, technically, an escaped prisoner. The people of Asgard would have the dastardly Frost Giant off their streets for good, and Odin would have one less thing to worry about in his crumbling kingdom.

For a while, Loki had watched silently, letting the Allfather ruin the realm he’d grown up in. After Frigga nearly died, he was ruthless, treating even allies as he treated the Jotuns or Dark Elves. His new policies were reckless, something along the lines of what Thor would have tried before his banishment. Even Frigga herself couldn’t keep him in check anymore. He was paranoid and distrustful of his own subjects; Loki couldn’t wait to see the fallout.

The Einherjar yanked on his magically-reinforced iron chains to stop him, not that he needed to. They’d done this walk before; nothing had changed other than the presence of an audience. Loki had rapidly decided that the “guests” were there as a punishment in and of itself, a taunt made to belittle him and what little credibility he had left. Not to mention the fact that if so many people heard the punishment, no one would be able to free him and claim plausible deniability, especially if Odin’s sentence was atypical.

“Once more, you have committed treason against Asgard and its people,” Odin declared, his voice hard and firm as usual. If Loki hadn’t spent a thousand years under him, he wouldn’t have been able to discern the Allfather’s mood in that moment, but it was all too clear. The Allfather was reluctant, angry, _annoyed_.

Loki snorted, anxious eyes going to him as he spoke. “Technically, you didn’t tell me _not_ to attack Jotunheim or Midgard,” he shot back, a smirk on his face. He would control the situation as best he could, regardless of the consequences, and that meant making fun of the old man. He had no intention of looking weak in front of the one who had cast him aside like three-day-old meat.

“ _However_ ,” Odin spoke again, his booming voice filling the throne room, “for your assistance in defeating Malekith and the Dark Elves, I will reduce your sentence. You will be bound to the palace until you find someone who will marry you.” It was indeed a strange punishment, but it may as well have been the same as the first.

Snickers filled the throne room. Like anyone would ever agree to marry Loki after all he’d done. No man or woman in their right mind would do so, even if they got the title to go along with it.

“This is an unfair deal,” Loki spoke above the crowd, refusing to curl in on himself like a wounded animal, for while being able to wander the whole palace was far better than his cell, it still wasn’t enough. He was a realm-walker. Being taken from one realm at birth and raised in another practically sealed his fate as such. If he was forbidden to travel along Yggdrasil’s paths, he may as well have been dead.

Odin let out a dry laugh. “How about I up the ante, then?” he offered. Just from the tone in his voice, Loki knew the addition would only increase his suffering if he did not win the bet. “If you can marry someone and remain married, you shall become king. The coronation shall be a year after your wedding, and you shall remain king so long as you remain wed.” It was nothing more than another taunt, pure mockery, giving the audience all the encouragement they needed for their hidden snickers to turn to outright laughter.

“Fine,” Loki spat out bitterly. “I accept your terms. I shall find a spouse, and when I do, I will rid this kingdom of your horrid reign.” He’d called out Odin on his hypocrisy and inability to rule before, but it had always been veiled, never an outright accusation. Both royals knew that he may as well have declared war.

The Allfather looked less than impressed with the threat, his eyelid drooping over his good eye and a frown permanently fixed on his face. “I wish you the best of luck,” he replied facetiously. He gestured from the guards to Loki. “Remove his chains.” The command was bored at best, reluctant at worst.

The laughter died out suddenly as the cuffs around Loki’s wrists, ankles, and neck were removed by the Einherjar, all of them being held by his other guards. In the back of his mind, he heard the metal clanking together, but his eyes were drawn to Frigga. Her eyes remained kind as always. “Do not make the same mistakes as you have in the past, Loki,” she warned.

Loki rubbed his sore wrists absentmindedly as he spoke to his mother. “Don’t worry,” he assured her glibly. He turned away to head back down the hall to his room so he could plan, his eyes catching on a young woman clinging to Thor’s Dr. Foster. She wore an extravagant pale blue dress (a gift from Thor, no doubt) that brought out her sapphire eyes. Those eyes were protected by rectangular glasses, and every now and then, the light would catch them as she turned, casting a glare over her eyes. Her dark hair remained loose, save a couple of tendrils that had been pinned back so her face wouldn’t be obscured.

A smirk grew on Loki’s face as he began to walk away, and he added, “I most certainly won’t.”

* * *

With a mark in mind, Loki set to work. It took him all of ten minutes to locate the golden apple he’d hidden in the palace ages ago, and he grinned to see it still pristine, shiny enough that he could see his own reflection.

It took him another ten minutes to find out what room his victim was staying in, and after that, all he had to do was wait by her door. He already knew he’d have to wait a year until his plan would truly come to fruition, so he had no issue in waiting another couple of minutes for her to return.

Exactly fifteen minutes and forty-three seconds later (alright, so he’d been a little impatient), the brunette rounded the corner. Her eyes went wide, and she turned around, but Loki chased after her, placing a hand on her shoulder. He could have easily teleported in front of her, but he couldn’t scare her if his plan was going to work.

“Please, miss, I simply wanted to apologize,” he explained.

The girl turned around, an eyebrow raised in doubt and suspicion. “Okay, buddy, I’m listening,” she told him. “What does Mr. High and Mighty think he has to apologize for?” It almost sounded like she was absolving him of guilt, but with his reputation, it was clearly an attack.

Loki pursed his lips and swallowed hard, knowing perfectly well how to come off as innocent and repentant. “I understand that you were in that town where I sent the Destroyer a few years back,” he explained. “There were far too many innocents caught up in my rage, and you were one of them. You did nothing to deserve what you went through, and you do have my sincerest apologies.”

The prince waited one breath, two, three, and finally—

“Alright,” the woman sighed with a nod. “You’re forgiven for that, but you still have a lot to make up for.”

“Then perhaps this can be a starting point,” he declared, offering up the apple. “It’s a delicacy on Asgard; I procured it specifically as a token of peace… you probably already know this, but my name is Loki.”

The woman eyed him warily before accepting the apple. “I’m Darcy,” she replied. “And if I chip a tooth on this thing, there’s gonna be hell to pay, got that?”

Loki nodded quickly. The woman, Darcy, she thought herself wary, able to call out his tricks, but she was the perfect opposite. She was gullible, easy to sway and mold. She would make a perfect queen for his plans. He smiled as Darcy took a bite, one just a little too big for her mouth. She’d quite literally bitten off more than she could chew; Loki tried not to laugh at the irony.

Red rose up on Darcy’s cheeks as she managed to get through the piece. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes focusing on the glass between herself and the world, and she shook her head before taking them off and sliding them into the pocket of her dress. “Must’ve gotten something on them,” she muttered. She looked back up to Loki, ready to play twenty questions. “So what’s up with the whole marriage thing?” Darcy asked before taking another—smaller—bite of the golden apple. “How hard could it be to convince someone to marry you and have a ceremony?”

Loki let out a breath of a laugh this time. “Well, finding a bride in the palace would be difficult since it’s mostly servants and a few visiting dignitaries. As for the ceremony…” Loki grinned as he saw Thor and Jane rounding the corner with Sif and the Warriors Three. “You’re about to find out how simple it is.”

Darcy’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Huh?”

Hogun noticed them first and tapped Thor on the arm. The group turned their attention to Loki and Darcy, their eyes all zeroing in on the apple.

“What is it?” Darcy asked self-consciously. “Do-do I have juice on my chin?”

Loki smirked. “Not at all,” he assured her.

Thor approached the two and gave Loki a good shove. “Loki, how dare you?!” he snapped.

Darcy and Jane looked as confused as could be. “What’s going on?” the latter asked. “It’s just a fruit.”

“It’s one of Idunn’s apples,” Sif declared bitterly. She grabbed Darcy’s arm and pulled her closer to the group of warriors, as if to protect her. “Upon Asgard, if you accept an apple from anyone other than Idunn herself and eat it, you have married the giver.”

Darcy’s eyes grew to the size of the fruit in her hand, and she looked at Loki. “That’s why you were so nice to me,” she whimpered. “You-you just wanted to trick me into marrying you?”

Loki grinned even as Thor laid a fist across his face. He spoke, not to the woman he betrayed, but to his brother. “By law, she’s trapped with me for six months, and even then I’m sure I could convince her to stay,” he taunted. “It must drive you mad, to know that you could have saved her had you arrived just a few minutes earlier.” Thor punched him again, and Loki laughed, ignoring the blood in his mouth. “I wonder how many ways I can violate her before the annulment period begins.” He spoke softly, but he was still loud enough for Darcy to hear.

The brunette took a step back, tears filling her eyes as her breath grew shaky. She watched as Thor punched Loki—her _husband_ —over and over again.

“What is going on here?”

Darcy jumped at the voice and turned to see Frigga walking down the hall towards her sons. “Cease this fighting, both of you!” The second she had the boys pulled apart, she turned towards the onlookers. Just like the others, her eyes fell on the golden apple still clutched in Darcy’s shaking hand.

“Oh child,” she sighed.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bonus chapter for today! A big thanks to everyone who's reading and another thanks to reviewers!

Darcy was practically dragged into the throne room, a million voices filling her head. Maybe they were berating her for being so stupid, maybe they were wishing her luck- she couldn’t tell. Everything was just fuzz, static in her mind as her new husband wrapped a hand around her arm and presented her to Odin.

She still couldn’t hear. The apple remained clutched in her shaking hand, she staring down at the accursed fruit. She was stuck, trapped in a marriage to the God of Mischief.

A cold hand-Loki’s- grabbed her face and forced her head up to look at Odin. At last, she began listening.

“As is required by Asgardian law, you will remain married to Loki for six months. At the end of that period, you will live on Midgard for another six months before you decide if you wish to remain married,” he declared, leaving no room for any arguments. “The marriage will be consummated tonight.”

Darcy whimpered and shrunk back, and surprisingly, Loki let her go. Instantly, she was whisked away by Frigga, Sif and Jane following like little ducklings until they got to what was supposed to be Darcy’s bedroom for the trip. She supposed that now, the few belongings she brought with her would be moved to Loki’s room.

She was sat down in a chair, and she practically went limp, letting the others move her around as they pleased. The only thing that remained steadfast was her grip on the apple.

“You’ll feel better if you finish that,” Frigga declared, gesturing to the golden fruit in Darcy’s hand. “You may be Aesir now, but finishing that will make you feel stronger.”

Darcy reluctantly raised the fruit to her mouth and took a bite, the taste of it now bitter. She chewed, trying not to spit it out or throw up what she had already eaten. Finally, she swallowed, the apple seeming to freefall into her stomach.

Jane ran a brush through Darcy’s hair, murmuring reassurances. “You’re gonna be okay,” she promised, petting the brunette’s hair after the brush went through. She was never so affectionate, preferring Science! and work over niceties. It was nice to know that she had it in her. “Everything will be fine; it’s just six months, and then you’re back on Earth, and then you’re free.” She placed a kiss on the top of her head before getting back to brushing.

“He said consummation,” Darcy muttered, looking up at Sif. “That… that’s just a fancy word for having sex, right?”  She took another bite of the apple and swallowed it whole, ignoring the burn she felt when it went down, bigger than her body was meant to handle.

Sif pursed her lips and walked up to Darcy, placing a necklace with a single emerald around her throat. It was loose, but it felt like a rope wrapped around her neck, just waiting for a good pull to kill her with. “It does,” she confirmed. “The best advice I have for you is to remain pliant. If you just let him do what he wants, it will be over sooner.” She sighed and straightened the jewelry. “I’m sorry for what is happening to you. If we had arrived just minutes earlier…”

Darcy filled the newborn silence with another bite of the apple, turning her attention back to her lap. She remembered to chew before swallowing this time. “It’s rape,” she finally declared. “He’s going to rape me.”

Frigga frowned and nodded slowly, sifting through a stack of negligees that had been made for Darcy. “Unfortunately on Asgard, it is not,” she replied. “A husband may sleep with his wife any time he wishes. I suggested to my husband that the law be changed, but he has rebuffed me every time I mention it.”

Both Darcy and Jane frowned, less at the queen and more at her husband’s views.

“I am so sorry, child,” Frigga sighed. “You have done nothing to deserve this other than not know.” She finally pulled a negligee from the pile, a sheer layer of dark green. It was one of the more conservative options, having a slip underneath in addition to the dark shade obscuring her body. It was probably the best she was going to get—not that it mattered. Loki was just going to tear it off her body anyway.

Darcy sniffed, holding back tears as she took yet another bite of the apple. She was running out of food, therefore running out of her only reason not to go to Loki yet. Perhaps Frigga could buy her a few more minutes in claiming she was eating even after she was done, but Loki’s patience would run out, and he would demand she be brought to him.

Jane put the brush down and pet Darcy’s hair again, desperately trying to soothe her. “I’m sorry,” she whispered. “You’re gonna be okay, though. You’re strong; you’re gonna make it through this. Just 183 days; you can mark them off on your calendar.”

Darcy nodded, straightening her back and standing up to change into the negligee. The majority of her clothes were conservative and hid her figure from prying eyes; this was a far cry from any of her usual clothes.

After the gown was on, Darcy was led to Loki’s room, the eyes of maids and servants on her and whispers filling her ears. A cold glare from Sif stopped most of them, but they would start up again the second they passed by or turned a corner.

As they approached the door, Thor, Odin, and the Warriors Three left Loki’s room along with the prince himself. He stood tall and proud in black pants and a green tunic, both easy enough to pull off without disrupting the rhythm of foreplay—if she was even going to be lucky enough to get any. Darcy had her money on him taking her like a reckless high schooler, leaving her on the ground, bleeding from his carelessness.

“Be gentle with her,” Thor ordered sternly, his hand pressing down punishingly onto Loki’s shoulder before letting go. He turned to Darcy, and his face softened as he went to hug her. “I’m sorry, my little Lightning Sister,” he whispered. When he pulled back from the hug, Darcy saw tears in his eyes before he blinked them away.

She got apologies from each of the Warriors Three after Thor; they all knew perfectly well that what was happening was wrong, and they were powerless to stop it.

“The guards will remain at your door,” Odin declared coldly before abruptly turning away, gesturing for everyone to follow him. They all did so reluctantly.

Loki guided her into his room, shutting the door behind them, not even giving her a chance to watch her few friends and allies go.

 _At least no one’s watching,_ Darcy thought. She had already been humiliated enough; the last thing she needed was for somebody to watch her while she was raped. Especially someone who wasn’t going to do a damn thing about it.

“Start screaming or I’ll have to force you to do so,” Loki whispered before shoving her up against the door.

Darcy let out a cry, half from pain and half following Loki’s orders. Even if she didn’t understand Loki’s play, she feared what would happen if she didn’t follow his directions.

Loki slammed his hands on the door by her head before reaching down and ripping his own shirt.

Darcy watched on, her eyebrows furrowing at the sight. What the hell was he doing? Could the guards hear him ripping his shirt? If they did… _they wouldn’t know it was his shirt_. Her mouth fell open as she realized what was happening, and she almost laughed with glee.

“What part of ‘start screaming’ do you not understand?” Loki hissed at her sudden silence.

Immediately, Darcy started whimper, letting out a fake sob. “Please don’t do this,” she begged.

“Louder,” Loki whispered, and Darcy’s pleas grew in volume and frequency. Loki ripped another piece off of his shirt and growled at her, jiggling the door every now and then like he was bracing himself against it to get his clothes off. “I will be the first to kiss you, to bed you. Whether you come willingly or not, you will be mine and mine alone.”

He slammed his hands on the door again, and Darcy took it as a cue to scream, letting it dissolve into sobs. Loki continued moving, pressing his weight against the door over and over again, and Darcy couldn’t help but watch his face in awe. There was virtually no strain on his body, but his face was determined, his forehead bunched up and his eyes set.

Darcy pretended to give in and moaned between her sobs, knowing that even if she didn’t want his theoretical advances, her body would respond to his touch without her consent. She gasped and moaned and sighed as she had with previous lovers until she just threw her head back and let out a cry, and Loki stuttered his hits to the door before moaning and coming to a stop.

Darcy was dumbfounded as she watched Loki walk away into another room in his chambers, and she took a couple of steps into the bedroom. It was all green and gold, much warmer than she had expected. Bookshelves lined the walls, and a small sitting area stood in front of an empty fireplace. She walked up to the bed and let her hand drift across the comforter. It was made of green silk, and Darcy couldn’t help but think of how comfortable it would be to sleep under it.

Before she knew it, an emerald green robe came flying at her, hitting her in the face. She looked up to see Loki, wearing only a pair of black pajama pants, no shirt in sight.

“I assume you don’t wish for my eyes to be upon your body,” he declared knowingly. “I’ll have the seamstresses make you proper nightwear in the morning, but I doubt we’ll be expected to leave the room before ten so there’s a small chance they won’t be ready by tomorrow night.”

Darcy blinked, too shocked to put on the robe in her hands. Without the orders and desperate need to avoid being raped, she hadn’t processed the fact that Loki had not touched her. “You…” her voice trailed off, unable to even form a proper sentence.

“You can draw yourself a bath if you like,” Loki continued, completely ignoring her shock. “You’ll find a music player with songs Thor claimed you enjoyed in one of the drawers in the bathroom along with a toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, and anything else you might require.” He stopped, looking at the still form of his young bride.

Loki hesitated before taking a step forward and speaking again, this time his voice far softer. “I am sorry for the way I behaved,” he whispered sullenly. He took her hand in his own and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. “I had to ensure my freedom. As for the matter of the consummation, it was a necessary tradition that they had to believe had been performed. I shall never lay a hand upon you in a sexual manner unless you wish it. I will, unfortunately, have to be rough with you. I promise to never hit you, but I will grab you and pull you if you disobey me, something that is in your best interest to do. If Odin believes you are complacent for these first few weeks, he’ll think you a trickster and try to punish you.” He lifted her hand and gently kissed it. “I wish for this arrangement to be as comfortable for you as possible. I know it is hard to leave your home behind for an extended period of time.”

Darcy remained silent for another moment before jerking her hand away, yanking on the robe, and walking into the bathroom.

Her hands shook as she drew the bathwater, watching the brass basin fill up. She kept the robe wrapped tightly around her body when she crossed over to the sink, opening a drawer that was next to it and rummaging around. Admittedly, she was a little surprised to find a hair elastic in it, and she used it to pull her hair up into a bun. She brushed her teeth while she waited for the bath to be full, keeping a careful eye on it in the mirror.

She shed what little clothes she had after brushing her teeth and turning off the water, stepping into the tub and planning to let the warm water melt away her stress.

Of course, when you’re stressed out enough, no bath in the world could help. Ultimately, she got out and put the negligee and robe back on and headed into the bedroom. To her relief, Loki was asleep in bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Loki's whole "you are mine" speech comes from The Red Necklace, which he voiced for an audiobook.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy tries to run, Loki romanticizes his bride, and someone speculates on the future of their relationship.

Loki awoke to hear the door creaking open, and he reacted in an instant, teleporting to close the door and keep Darcy trapped between him and it. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides as he picked her up.

Darcy began fighting back immediately, kicking and screaming and demanding to be let go. Loki ignored her, pushing her onto the bed and climbing on top of her. He put one calf across her legs, easily pinning her down while he snatched her wrists in a vice grip and held them above her head. She’d have bruises in the morning, but that was already to be expected if he was forcing her to have sex with him.

He waited for her to stop struggling (five minutes, two longer than he was expecting) before he spoke. “I already promised you that I will neither hit you nor touch you in a sexual manner without your consent,” he whispered into her ear. She turned her head to the side so she wasn’t face-down in the sheets, and he brushed a strand of hair away from her face in an oddly delicate gesture. He steeled himself, wrapping his fingers around her hair as a means of keeping her head still. “You must not, however, try to escape me. They call me a realm-walker. Do you know what that means?”

Darcy shook her head minutely, unable to move more with Loki on top of her and his fingers wrapped up in her hair.

“It means that the realms readily open their doors to me, even if their leaders or Heimdall does not,” Loki explained, his voice even and smooth. “I could find you wherever you hide, no matter what protection you have. But to be honest, I’d rather not put in the effort.” He rubbed his thumb over her left wrist, and a golden bracelet appeared out of nothing. “This will allow me to know where you are at any given moment,” he declared. “Don’t try to take it off; you’ll only hurt yourself and no one else has enough magic to break the spell. You can wander anywhere in the palace you wish unsupervised, so long as you return to our bed each night. If you try running away again, I’ll be forced to chain you to the bed. Do you understand?”

Darcy nodded slowly, and Loki released her and pulled himself back up, rolling over to his side of the bed. Darcy made no attempt to lie down properly again, instead curling up into a ball. Loki reached out to touch her shoulder, to tell her she would be far more comfortable under the covers, but he barely made contact before she flinched away, nearly falling off the edge of the bed. With a sigh, Loki lay back and let himself drift off to sleep.

* * *

The next time Loki woke up, he saw Darcy curled up at the foot of the bed, looking much like a house pet. Sunlight streamed in through the window, shining off her hair and the robe he’d given her, furthering the illusion of her being an animal- perhaps a cat.

He was lucky, Loki thought to himself. His bride was gorgeous and in time could be smart enough to outwit most of the fools in court, if her suspicion of the apple before he’d convinced her to eat it was any indication. He’d have to see how she adjusted, but he had high hopes for her. He could have been stuck with some desperate, unintelligent maid barely old enough to wed, but this Midgardian had fallen into his lap.

Yes, he thought, he was lucky indeed.

Slowly, not wanting to startle her, Loki placed a hand on Darcy’s shoulder and rubbed gently to wake her up. Darcy hummed contently and arched into his touch. Loki took note of her reaction and put it away in his mind for later. He leaned in further, turning Darcy onto her back.

“Wake up, darling,” he said softly, brushing her hair away from her face as he had the previous night. This time, he did not change his touch to cause her pain. “We’re expected before lunch.”

There was a knock on the door, and Loki jumped away, not wanting to be seen being affectionate with his wife. Two maids entered his room as opposed to the usual one, and Loki got up and began dressing himself. He looked through the closet, fingering the dresses that had been made for Darcy already. He smiled at a dark green one with gold edging and picked it off the rack.

Loki went back into his room and handed the dress to the younger of the maids. “Put Darcy in this,” he said, his voice softer than it usually was. His personal maid, Aennor, had cared for him just as much as Frigga had, and she would have made sure Darcy’s maid was just as kind to them both, free of anger or prejudice.

“It’s nice to see you with a girl,” Aennor declared as she approached Loki. Her silvery-blonde hair was pulled back into a bun, and she fixed it with a light touch before clicking her tongue at Loki. He sat down in one of the chairs in the sitting area, letting Aennor comb and style his hair. “She’ll make you perk up, I think.”

Something between a snort and a snicker made its way out of Loki, and he shook his head. The immediate response was a light slap on the shoulder to still him. “Darcy is just a means to an end,” he replied. “She knows this, I know this, the whole realm knows this.”

Aennor scrunched her nose up. “I don’t think so,” she said, shaking her head. “You may be a master at lying, but you’ll never get one by me.” It was a joke in the palace—in all palaces across all realms, Loki suspected—that maids knew _everything_ , especially personal maids. She’d caught Loki sneaking out with Thor on more than one occasion and kept quiet whenever Thor was found out but not Loki. She’d been around since long before Loki arrived; she knew how to keep her job.

“Do I seriously have to get my hair done up?” Darcy grumbled, still half-asleep. A frustrated grunt followed, and Loki struggled to hold back his laughter. His new wife was in the mood to fight today.

“Let her do your hair, Darcy,” Loki called back to her. “It will likely just be a braid.” The claim wasn’t a prediction, but a subtle suggestion to the maid.

A bit of grumbling followed before the brunette sighed and flopped down in the chair next to him. Loki smiled softly, looking at the dress that covered her body. It was a simple silk dress, and there were golden braids at her waist, collar, wrists, and the bottom of her dress. She looked absolutely stunning, even in a dress that was considered plain by royalty’s standards.

“So did that apple mess with my eyes?” Darcy asked suddenly, shaking Loki out of his reverie. “I haven’t needed them since I ate it.” Them... her glasses, Loki realized.

Loki nodded slowly, earning yet another soft slap on the shoulder. Darcy giggled as Loki straightened his back, trying to remain still. “You are Aesir now,” he explained. “As such, all of your mortal ailments and maladies have left you. You’re also much stronger and faster now. I’d take care when grasping door handles and glasses if I were you; you might underestimate your newfound abilities.

Darcy nodded a little, earning her own hit to the shoulder, the elder maid reaching over and doing it since her ward would be too shy. “Sorry,” she muttered, following Loki’s lead and straightening up. She whimpered when her maid tugged a strand of hair into the braid. “So, what’s your name?” she asked, moving only her eyes to avoid another hit.

“Briet,” the younger maid replied. “I’ll be your personal maid unless you request otherwise, your royal highness.” She carefully wove a golden chain through Darcy’s hair, making sure it rested evenly atop her head.

“Wow,” Darcy breathed, so clearly shocked by the mere idea of being referred to as royalty. “That’s… wow… but could you maybe not do the whole ‘your royal highness’ thing? It’s just Darcy.”

The redheaded maid grinned. “Alright, just Darcy,” she said.

That earned a snort from Darcy as well as the first grin Loki had seen from her since they first met. Loki liked her smile, he decided. It was toothy and real, not hidden while trying to be coy or faked for the sake of being polite. He wanted to make her smile more.

As the maids finished up and Loki made his request for more modest nightwear, Darcy decided to go to the restroom quickly, giving Aennor a moment to speak with Loki alone. “Do you want to know the real reason I think this will work?” she asked. When Loki only gave her a doubtful look, she explained, “You call her by her name.”

Loki said nothing in response, instead turning to the bathroom door and waiting for Darcy’s return while the maids left. Darcy emerged, and Loki put a gentle hand on the small of her back to lead her out of the room, directing her towards the dining hall.

“I don’t think I ate anything yesterday except that apple,” Darcy confessed, moving her hand so it was in the crook of Loki’s elbow.

He placed his opposite hand over hers as a gesture of sympathy, but it seemed to be lost on the brunette by her lack of reaction. “I assure you, you’ll have plenty to eat at lunch today,” he promised. He kept looking for a moment before he caught himself, cleared his throat, and faced forward again.

Darcy looked down at the floor, taking a deep breath and making herself frown, letting Loki pull her around.

“Lady Darcy!” a voice cheered, and Darcy jumped in surprise, realizing they’d made it to the dining room already. Thor came up to her and wrapped her in a hug. “Or should I say Princess Darcy?” he corrected himself cheerily as he pulled out of the hug. The smile on his face was so clearly forced, but it remained by sheer willpower.

“Thanks,” Darcy replied, her eyes sad and tired. She’d actually slept for quite a long time the previous night, Loki knew, but her façade was remarkable.

Loki wrapped his hand around her upper arm and gave her a tug, pulling her to her seat and helping her sit down.

As she looked at the spread on the table, Darcy realized just how hungry she was. There were three different platters of meat and a bowl of fruits, some familiar to her and some completely alien. Breads and pastas were present as well, along with salad, finger sandwiches, and some food Darcy didn’t quite recognize but looked like a dessert. Her mouth began to water as she stared at her options hungrily.

“Eat as much as you please,” Frigga declared, noticing the look on Darcy’s face. “You are the guest of honor, after all.”

Darcy looked at the queen in confusion. “I am?” she asked.

Frigga let out a soft, melodious laugh. “Of course,” she replied. “Your wedding was last night, after all.”

“Right…” Darcy replied slowly, then jumping to action, taking at least one of everything and digging into her meal like a starving woman.

Loki had to admit, he was rather hungry as well. He hadn’t eaten at all yesterday with all his scheming, and he was damn well ready to remedy that. As he ate, he assessed everyone at the table. Frigga, Thor, and the Warriors Three all had the same smile on their faces, pretending they didn’t know what had happened the previous night _and_ with their knowledge of such a heinous act. Ironically, they really _didn’t_ know, but he wasn’t about to say anything. Sif and Jane were far more solemn, not even bothering to put on a mask of happiness. As for Odin, he looked like he was just dealing with another day in the palace.

Loki loathed him for it. He was going about like nothing was wrong because he didn’t think anything _was_ wrong. It didn’t bother him that his adoptive son had supposedly raped a woman, just that he’d have to wait six months for a mortal (ha, not anymore) to leave his kingdom. But no matter what he did, he could not change the fact that a mortal had been made an Aesir. A mortal had never eaten one of Idunn’s apples in Loki’s lifetime, perhaps never in history. So even if everything else in Loki’s plan fell apart, Darcy would still be Aesir, never again human.

“Maybe this is for the best,” Thor commented, eternally trying to look on the bright side. Just as Loki was about to ask what this ‘bright side’ was, Thor spoke again. “You said you’re interested in political science, right? You could learn a lot while you’re here.”

 _Oh yes_ , Loki thought, smirking into his goblet. He’d most certainly chosen the right girl.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's smarter than she lets on.

As lunch wound towards its inevitable end, Frigga got up and placed a gentle hand on Darcy’s shoulder. “If none of you mind, I must steal Darcy away for a few hours,” she said, voice sweet as candy. Darcy thought she would get a sugar rush just from hearing the woman talk sometimes.

“Go right ahead,” Loki replied without hesitation. Technically, his was the only opinion that mattered, at least in the eyes of Asgardian society. He looked the two over for a moment before asking, “Might I ask why you find this sudden meeting necessary?”

Frigga just smiled and laughed lightly. “Well, she’s not exactly accustomed to Asgard, much less to being part of its royal family,” she explained. “She needs to know what’s expected of her, the duties she must perform. Surely you understand.” She tilted her head, giving her son a stern, no-nonsense look.

Loki nodded, still suspicious of the two. Or perhaps that was just his face. “Very well,” he finally said, turning back to the remnants his meal.

Frigga kissed her younger son on the top of the head and added in, “No spying. I’ll know if you do.” She gave him a stern look that only a mother could master before linking her arm in Darcy’s and leading her down the hall. Her lips were pursed in a thin line, and people practically jumped out of their way.

She took Darcy into a private room and turned to the servants. “Some privacy, please,” she requested. The three maids tidying up the room skittered out without a word. Only once the door was closed behind them did she speak again.

“Are you mad?” Frigga demanded, only to put her hand up and shake her head. “No, don’t answer that.” She sighed and lowered her hand, pacing over to the other side of the room before turning back to Darcy. “What were you thinking?” she asked. “I told you of the apples so you could avoid being tricked into marriage with Loki, not so you could get a bouquet ready.”

Darcy sighed, the sigh becoming a bit of a whimper as she thought over her reply. “I don’t know,” she confessed. “I-I wanted to see what would happen, I guess. You said I’d only spend six months with him before going back to Earth for a while, and I… I guess I thought I could make a decision before then.”

Frigga raised an eyebrow. “And have you?” she asked dryly. “Have rape and humiliation helped you make a choice?” Her eyes were dull and emotionless, but Darcy could detect the sadness underneath. After all, what mother wouldn’t be upset?

Darcy spoke, to save the queen’s heart if nothing else. “He didn’t touch me.”

There was a moment where Frigga just stood there in shock before she reacted. “Oh thank Valhalla,” Frigga breathed, putting a hand over her heart and sinking into a chair. Darcy had never seen a woman look so relieved, and to be honest, she didn’t blame her one bit. Loki may have been a lot of things, but at least he wasn’t a rapist.

Darcy pursed her lips, letting Frigga take a moment to collect herself before she spoke again. “He slammed his hands against the doors and told me to scream like I was fighting back so the guards would think we consummated the marriage.” She hesitated, wondering if she should continue; if Frigga didn’t agree with her views, it could spell trouble. After a deep breath, she made her choice. “Everyone apologized to me. Loki apologized for scaring me and for what was happening, Thor and Jane apologized for my situation, as did you even though you knew I got myself here on purpose. Sif and the Warriors Three, a bunch of people I only met that morning, apologized. The only one who didn’t apologize was Odin… So yes, I’ve made my decision.” She might not have trusted Loki, but she trusted Odin even less.

There was a long pause before either of them said anything more. Darcy could hear the blood rushing through her body, trying to keep her alert with all the sudden changes in her life and adjust to her new body. She swallowed, the sound echoing in her ears.

“Look, I know it’ll be a big change if I stay with Loki and Odin is forced to keep his end of the bargain, but—”

“You need to pretend to have a fight with Loki shortly before you leave,” Frigga cut in. She looked up to see the confusion written all over Darcy’s face, and she explained her thoughts. “Six months is a long time. If you leave appearing to be even complacent with Loki, my husband will have time to change the terms of his and Loki’s agreement. If you leave seeming to be angry, he’ll think you’ll want to annul the marriage the second you return and won’t bother changing the rules. Between the time you return and your coronation, Odin will not be able to alter the deal without being looked on with suspicion and distrust.”

Darcy stared at the blonde for a moment, her mouth opening and closing like a fish. Finally, she got her bearings and nodded her head furiously. “Absolutely,” she promised. “I-I will.”

Frigga nodded solemnly, her lips pursed together. She took in a deep breath and let it out in a long sigh. “My husband is no longer fit to rule,” she claimed before turning her head to look at the ground a few feet in front of her. “I fear what chaos he will bring to Asgard even in the year he has left.”

“You…” Darcy swallowed again, choking on her words. She kept on having to remind herself to breathe as she spoke. “You said that marital rape is legal on Asgard,” she continued. “I take it Odin…”

“If you make the changes I hope you shall, then it will not be a problem much longer,” Frigga declared.

Darcy nodded her head vehemently. “Alright,” she replied. “I understand.” She opened her mouth, but closed it quickly before opening it once more. “Can I go now if this is all you wanted to talk about?”

Frigga just smiled and let out a light laugh. “I’m afraid not, dear,” she answered. “I was sincere we had to talk about your duties as a princess, that’s just not _all_ I wished do.” She got to her feet with a renewed inner strength and placed her hand in the crook of Darcy’s elbow. “Now, you have much to learn about being royalty. I understand that your part of Midgard has no ruling family.”

“Well, not exactly,” Darcy said, trying to find the best way to explain it as Frigga guided her over to a door that she could only assume led to an adjoining room. “We have a president, a person who’s elected every four years to run the country. Their family members aren’t in any line of succession for the presidency, but that doesn’t rule them out from running in the election one day.”

Frigga nodded and hummed in understanding. “Is that like the clan of bush people I’ve heard about?”

Darcy couldn’t help herself; she burst out laughing. “Kind of,” she replied through her giggles. “Bush is their surname. George H.W. Bush ran for president, and then later his son did, too. Now his other son is attempting to run, but it isn’t looking that good for him. The two Bushes who had the presidency didn’t exactly do a bang-up job, you know?”

“I think I understand,” Frigga said, still nodding. She stopped herself and looked at the door they stood in front of. “The room behind this door will prove extremely helpful in your attempts to better understand your new life.” She opened the door and gave Darcy a gentle nudge.

The brunette walked in, her jaw instantly dropping at the sight of the library. It was like a scene out of _Beauty and the Beast_ , books reaching so far towards the sky that Darcy could barely find the ceiling, not to mention the wall on the other side of the room. That was completely hidden from view. A smile began to form on her face, all her teeth showing and the corners of her eyes crinkling up. “Oh… my… God,” she breathed. “This is incredible!” She lifted up the skirts of her dress and charged into the room, looking around in complete and total awe.

Frigga smiled as she watched Darcy, recalling the last time she’d seen someone look at books with such unabashed glee. It had been Loki when he was ten, his first trip to the library as well. He’d had his own private stash, of course, but he’d never seen a collection of this magnitude—and apparently, neither had Darcy. She followed Darcy into the room, and the girl turned towards her.

“This is so amazing,” Darcy sighed. “I’ve loved reading all my life, and this is… this is just so… _wow_.”

A small laugh escaped the queen, and she walked up to a table, opening a book that was already lying on it. “This is your first assignment,” she declared. “Once you read through this book, your mind will be imbued with Allspeak. That will make the rest of our lessons much easier as well as allow you to communicate with anyone in any language.”

Darcy nodded her head obediently and took a seat at the table, instantly setting out to finish the book. It was about 100 thousand words long, more than enough to keep her occupied until dinner.

Frigga laid a hand on Darcy’s shoulder, already able to tell the new princess was engrossed in her reading. “I’ll come collect you before supper,” she said before leaving Darcy to read.

Darcy continued to read, flipping through page after page of mind-numbing text. She loved to read, yes, but this was all basic politics and etiquette she’d learned long ago. A sigh escaped her as she neared the 50 thousandth page, and she smoothed the paper down as the halfway point drew closer and closer.

She went on and on, feeling the sun’s (could she really call it a sun when it wasn’t Earth’s?) light intensify as it began to set. She turned her head towards the light, watching her first Asgardian sunset—okay, the second. The curtains were closed in Loki’s room last night.

Slowly, she turned back to the book, only to see a spider sitting on the page. The brunette let out a squeak and jumped back, blowing at the bug a couple of times in an attempt to force it off the page. Her first two attempts got her nowhere, so she took in a deep breath and forced it out of her lungs with all her might. This time, not only did the spider fly off the page, but the words did as well. No, seriously. The words _flew_ off the page.

Darcy stared at the text, suddenly gold and in the air. She looked down at the book to see the words still there in black and white, but it was like a copy had been made for her. Looking back up, Darcy let out a tiny laugh. The words drew nearer, and she held out her hand. Instantly, the text danced its way over to her fingers, seeming to be absorbed by her skin. Darcy blinked once… twice… Her mind was filled with knowledge and languages and understanding and… and…

“Whoa.”

Darcy found another book to occupy her time until Frigga arrived, hiding it in her skirts before she was collected for dinner—supper—whatever. Afterwards, while Loki was bathing, Darcy took up the book again, reading it until she heard the tub draining. Instantly, she hid the book under the cushion of her chair, turning to look at the empty fireplace.

She should have been doing something. She wouldn’t just sit around staring into space waiting for Loki to return, and he had probably already figured that out by now. She had to do something! Anything! Anything at all!

“Are you well?”

Darcy jumped at the sound of the voice, turning to see Loki in his pajama pants. At least he was taking care not to make her see anything she didn’t want to. The brunette forced a smile on her face and nodded. “I’m fine,” she replied, getting out of her chair and walking over to her husband. “I was just wondering whether or not you’d used up all the hot water.”

Loki scoffed. “I assure you, we have plenty of hot water to go around,” he sneered. “We may be a monarchy, but we are not some backwards, medieval nation.”

The sass dropped out of Darcy, and she swallowed hard. She may have been a bit of a smartass, but she wasn’t interested in saying or doing anything that would tempt Loki to go back on his word. He was the God of Lies after all. “I’m gonna go take a bath,” she muttered before moving past him.

Loki turned, and if Darcy had looked back, she would have seen the regret on his face. Unfortunately, she closed the door without a glance.

Another _thump_ followed, too late to be an echo from the door. Loki turned to the sitting area and saw a book lying on the floor. He walked over and picked it up, wondering what was so interesting that Darcy was hiding it from him. A smirk spread across his face as he read the title.

_The Art of War  
_ _Sun Tzu_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic has a soundtrack now! You can find it [here](http://8tracks.com/squirrelstone/seeds-of-a-dilemma)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An attempt at fluff, averted by alien invasions.

Loki took care to hide the book back under the cushion before slipping under the sheets. Instead of risking falling asleep and having Darcy run away again like last night, he conjured his own book and began to read—contrary to what Darcy may have believed, he had no interest in tying her up… well, unless she asked him to.

When Darcy finally emerged from the bathroom in some of her new nightclothes (loose pants and a tunic; those would come in handy sharing a bed with him), Loki watched her like a hawk as she climbed under the covers. She kept herself on the very edge even though the bed was larger than a king, he noted. Obviously she still wasn’t too thrilled about sharing the space with him. The brunette furrowed her eyebrows as she looked at Loki, her corners of her lips turned down slightly. “What?” she asked, and Loki realized he’d been far too obvious.

“Nothing, just… if we are to spend all this time together, I’d like to at least get to know you a little bit better,” Loki declared. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair away from Darcy’s face. Surprisingly, she didn’t jerk away—and it was a good thing too since she was already about to teeter off the side. He was slow and careful as he moved, his hand gliding down over her neck and shoulders to the small of her back, settling in and pulling her closer to him.

Darcy’s eyes went wide, and she took in a short breath. “What are you doing?” she asked so quickly Loki almost missed what she was saying.

Loki sighed and removed his hand from her, pulling it back towards himself. “You were about to fall off,” he explained. “Unless you like sleeping halfway off the bed, in which case, we have a starting point we can talk about.”

That earned him a little laugh, and Darcy shook her head. “No, no, it’s not that,” she replied, suddenly seeming lighter than he’d seen her before. “I kind of… _cuddle_ in my sleep.” She lowered her eyes, and Loki caught sight of her fiddling with her hands in a nervous manner. “I just like to be close to someone when I sleep, and when I _am_ close to someone, I sorta latch on.”

“I take it you’ve had more than one chance to test this?” Loki asked, an eyebrow raised. It was in his understanding that it was acceptable for Midgardian women to have partners they had no intention of marrying, as opposed to Asgard where only men were allowed to do so. At least that’s what he’d gathered during the brief time he had on Midgard during his most recent trip.

Darcy nodded. “And don’t you dare get judgey, mister,” she snapped, pointing a finger at him. “If a man has sex before he’s married, it’s fine, but if a woman does it, she’s a slut!” She rolled her eyes, and Loki realized that his assumption might have been a little bit off. “And if that’s the case, then men should only be able to have sex with men before marriage, but those are the same people who say it’s wrong to be gay which is completely ridiculous and—”

“I’m not judging you,” Loki cut the brunette off, too tired to listen to a tirade of Midgardian social issues. He was too stressed thinking about how to deal with his own realm’s as it was. “I was just curious as to where you learned you did this.”

“Oh,” Darcy replied shortly, her cheeks gathering a red hue. “Um…” She cleared her throat and looked down at her hands again. She looked back up at Loki, forced neutrality on her face. “I’ve done it all my life. With my parents, my sister, my friends, boyfriends, girlfriends… pretty much everyone.”

Loki nodded in response. “I understand,” he said. “I would not object to holding you if it would make you more comfortable.” Moving slowly again, he wrapped his arms around Darcy and pulled her in, letting her head rest on his chest. He took in a deep breath, adjusting to the weight before he spoke again. “So what’s this about parents and a sister?”

Darcy let out an “uhhh” sound, collecting her thoughts. “Well, my parents died about ten years ago,” she confessed. “I was fourteen and couldn’t take care of myself yet, so my sister and her husband and wife took me in. She smiled, turning her head up to look at Loki. “You’d love them all so much. Laura… Frigga reminds me so much of her. She’s so sweet and caring, but Lord help the fool who tries to hurt her family. And Clint is just a riot. He loves playing pranks on people and is just this giant goofball, but he can be serious when he has to be. Though ‘when he has to be’ is up for debate in his mind. And they’ve got these two awesome kids: Cooper and Lila. And then there’s Natasha; she’s not officially married to Laura and Clint, but that’s only because it’s illegal to be married to more than one person in the US and Laura and Clint met each other first.”

As Darcy went through the list of names, the tiny smile he had fell off his face. He recognized those names too well, and he turned his head away, unable to look Darcy in the eyes.

“What?” the brunette asked, propping herself up so she hovered above her husband. “Loki, what is it? I thought you wanted to know more about my family.”

Loki took a deep breath and turned his head back to Darcy. “Your brother-in-law never told you what happened to him before I attacked New York, did he?”

Darcy furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. “I-I know he had to go off the grid for a while—”

“He wasn’t off the grid,” Loki cut Darcy off, unable (or perhaps unwilling) to listen anymore. “I used the scepter to control him. The Black Widow managed to get him out of it.”

Loki watched as Darcy’s eyes went wide and her mouth narrowed to a thin line, watched as the muscles in her neck tightened when she swallowed, watched as she scooted away from him again and turned over, refusing to face him. In all honesty, it was a better reaction than he’d expected, but not the one he’d hoped for.

“Darcy, I didn’t know—” he promised, reaching out to touch her.

She jerked her shoulder away before getting out of bed and marching over to the sitting area. She sat down in her chair and curled in on herself, and Loki heard faint sniffling. A whimper followed, like she was trying her damnedest not to let him hear her.

Loki sighed and got out of bed, walking over to her chair and kneeling down in front of her. “Darcy, I never meant to upset you,” he whispered.

Darcy looked down at him, her eyes filled with tears and her cheeks bright red. “Yeah, well you did,” she snapped. She turned back again, resting her head on the back of the chair. They remained in their positions, Darcy in the chair, Loki on the floor, for a good five minutes before Darcy spoke again.

“Clint was different after New York,” the brunette claimed. “I knew he was military and then S.H.I.E.L.D., but this was different.” She sniffed, wiping her hands over her eyes. “I thought it was just what he saw in the fight, but _you_ …” She shook her head, unable to come up with the words.

Loki sighed and reached out to touch Darcy, but retracted his hands before he made contact. “I wish I could tell you why I did it,” he declared. “I wish I could explain everything and make you understand, but I can’t.” He groaned, letting his head fall forward and rest against the chair. “I know that what I did was wrong, and I will never be able to give back the lives I stole, but it is so much more complicated than that. There’s so much more involved.”

Darcy looked back down at him, still frowning, but now her forehead was wrinkled in that way Loki already knew meant she was confused and concerned. “Then tell me,” she requested. “Tell me why you thought it was okay to kill all those people—”

“I didn’t!” He’d never made that confession before. He’d so readily claimed he felt no remorse, that everyone he killed deserved to die simply for being human, but he’d never told the truth. He looked up again, hoping to catch Darcy’s eye. “Even as I watched the chaos unfold and the lives of innocents slip away at my hand, I wished I had not caused it.” He felt burning on his cheeks, and he realized he was crying. He closed his eyes, hoping to stop the flow of tears before opening them again. It didn’t work. “I have hardly known anything but chaos in my life, and even I wished to stop the senseless killing.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Darcy asked, her voice quiet as a mouse and filled with righteous indignation. She turned, her eyes piercing into him though she was still crying.

Loki’s response caught in his throat. “I-I can’t tell you,” he whispered.

Darcy rolled her eyes and turned away again. “I thought you were better than Odin, but apparently I was wrong,” she bit out. “Talk to me when you _can_ tell me.”

* * *

 

Aennor and Briet found them the next morning in the exact same place, Darcy in her chair and Loki lying on the floor before her.

“Well, it seems she has him wrapped around her little finger already,” Briet muttered, earning a hush without much heart in it in return. “It’s true and you know it.”

Aennor tilted her head to the side in a small gesture of acknowledgement before she approached the two, looking them over better. “They were fighting,” she claimed quietly. “It was enough to get both of them crying.”

Briet raised an eyebrow as she set the breakfast trays on the table. “I’ve never even heard rumors of Prince Loki crying before,” she replied. She took the teapot on one of the trays and filled two cups.

“He seldom does,” Aennor said. She crouched down next to Loki and gave his shoulder a soft shake. “Come on, up with you!” she called out to him. “You’ve both got busy days today seeing as it’s Prince Thor and Lady Jane’s last full day here.”

That seemed to rouse Darcy, and she let out a discombobulated hum. She looked around, taking a moment to remember where she was. After a second, her wrinkled forehead and slight pout turned into squinted eyes and a scowl.

“Well that’s a lovely look for first thing in the morning,” Briet teased, hoping to imbue Darcy with some much-needed optimism. It worked well enough, and she got a snort out of the brunette as she sat up. She looked down at Loki and rolled her eyes, giving him a light kick.

Loki groaned, propping himself up. He was able to orient himself far more quickly than Darcy and was in his own chair in seconds. “Don’t ask,” he muttered, practically reading Aennor’s mind. Even when emotionally exhausted and sleep deprived, he sat up straight as he waited for Aennor to comb his hair.

Aennor just pursed her lips and shook her head, walking behind Loki. “I wasn’t going to say anything,” she declared, running the comb through her charge’s raven locks. She hummed nonchalantly, making even Briet raise an eyebrow. The elder woman shrugged before making a small gesture with her head to tell her ward to get to work.

Briet nodded minutely and moved behind Darcy, pulling a brush through her hair. It wasn’t as tangled as it had been the day before since she slept on the couch, but the kinks from the braid had to be worked out before she restyled it. Eventually, a sigh caught her attention.

“I can’t believe Jane and Thor are leaving tomorrow,” Darcy said, her voice sad and low. She slumped slightly in her chair, and thankfully neither Aennor nor Briet tried to correct her posture. “What am I gonna do without them?”

Loki huffed. “It’s not like you have a husband to spend time with or anything,” he drawled. He grabbed Darcy’s wrist before she could slap him.

Darcy jerked her hand back and rolled her eyes. “Like I’d be interested in spending any time with you,” she grumbled.

Briet couldn’t help but wince. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

 

Darcy and Loki walked into the sitting room even more discontented than they seemed the day before. The second Darcy got within six feet of Jane and Thor, she ripped her arm out of Loki’s grasp, only for Loki to grab it again and pull her in close. “Do not test me,” he growled before releasing her, practically shoving her into Thor’s arms as he got up.

Thor reacted quickly, catching Darcy before she could fall and gently setting her down on the sofa next to Jane. “Are you okay?” he asked quietly. When Darcy nodded, he turned back to Loki. “Perhaps you and I should talk,” he snapped, just as much anger in his voice as his brother’s.

“Indeed,” Loki grit out, leaving the room and forcing Thor to trail behind.

The second they were out of earshot, Thor grabbed Loki and pushed him up against a pillar. “Leave. Lady Darcy. Alone,” he hissed, his eyes sharper and narrower than usual. “She is my friend, and if she returns to Midgard harmed, I will not hesitate to kill you. Your antics have already done great damage to Erik Selvig’s mind, and now you attack Lady Darcy’s body. Do you really hate me that much that you would take it out on my friends?”

Loki gave a good shove back, forcing Thor away from him. “Always so vain!” he snapped in reply. “You really think this is about you? Perhaps it is best that you abdicated! A true king would think about all consequences, not just the ones to his person.” He let out a quick breath of air through his nose, mimicking a laugh. “Asgard is falling, brother. Even you must know that it will never be saved under Odin’s rule.”

“At this point, he seems like the lesser of two evils!” Thor shot back. He glanced up and down the hall before taking a step closer to Loki and lowering his voice to a whisper. “I know you think I am too wound up in my affairs on Midgard to know what is going on, but I see it. I see the militias Father is forming to ‘watch over’ the lands even though the treaties are all sound. I know that the taxpayers fund these very militias that are eating them out of house and home. I want Asgard to be great again, but more than that I want our people happy. Somehow I can’t help but feel you’ll give them anything but.”

That actually caused a full laugh to escape Loki. “Oh, my apologies,” he teased, barely able to speak through his chuckling. He took a deep breath to steady himself and smiled at Thor. “I think you’ll find that despite my actions to keep you on Midgard a few years ago, my brief reign was rather fantastic. Within 24 hours, I had formed a treaty that both the Vanir and the Muspels were willing to sign… until Odin tore it up. The only fault in my ruling was that Lady Sif and the Warriors Three betrayed their king to search for you.”

Thor shook his head and sighed. “It’s a good thing they did or—”

“What?” Loki interrupted. “I still would have slain Laufey. I just would have done it quickly and quietly, without all that mess afterwards. The Bifrost would have remained intact, I would have been able to send the treaty through… the only difference is that you would have had to wait a little longer to retrieve your precious Mjolnir.” He tilted his head, taking a moment to think. “You know, if you had just allowed me to do my job, you would have even had more time with your lover and her friends.”

“What. You did. Was wrong,” Thor repeated. He loathed leaving Darcy in Loki’s hands, especially if he refused to admit that he’d done anything wrong. Maybe, just maybe, if Loki could admit his faults, he wouldn’t hurt Darcy, but if he went on insisting her was in the right, he feared for her life.

Loki scoffed. “Taking the moral high ground, are you?” he mocked. “I seem to recall a time when you were very pleased with Odin’s ways. So violent, always ready to kill innocents…” A vile smirk worked its way onto his face. “Perhaps I should tell your woman of the aftermath of a certain battle with the Frost Giants on Earth.”

Thor grit his teeth together. “It was consensual,” he declared.

“She was drunk and you took advantage,” Loki corrected. He stared his brother down, and Thor stared right back. Realizing they were getting nowhere, Loki changed the subject. “I assure you, I will change Odin’s laws and bring peace back to the realms without fear. You worry about whatever has you running off so suddenly.” Watching Thor’s face change, Loki let out another tiny laugh. “Oh yes, I know something is wrong on Midgard,” he confirmed. “It’s the scepter, isn’t it?”

Thor swallowed hard and straightened his back, trying to reclaim some of the power he’d lost in the conversation. “It wouldn’t be there in the first place if it wasn’t for you,” he snapped.

Loki merely shrugged. “It’s far safer where it is now than it was before I brought it to Midgard,” he replied cryptically before turning and walking away.

* * *

 

Loki didn’t see Darcy until that night as he was slipping into their room. The young princess’s hair was wet from her shower, and she was preparing to leave. Loki frowned, his eyebrows furrowing together. “What are you doing?” he asked immediately.

“I’m going to see Jane,” Darcy replied, crossing her arms over her chest. “You said I could go anywhere in the palace.” Her eyes were narrowed into slits, daring Loki to challenge her.

Naturally, he did. “I also said you must return to our room each night,” he declared. “You cannot spend the night in another’s room, especially when that room happens to be shared by my brother. We’re lucky there haven’t been rumors about how we were found this morning.”

Darcy scoffed. “ _You’re_ lucky,” she snapped. She moved to push past Loki, but he put out an arm to stop her.

“I was not bluffing when I threatened to chain you to the bed,” Loki hissed. “I do not wish to do so, but I will.” He waited for a moment to make sure she was taking him seriously before adding in, “Go to bed. I’ll be with you shortly.”

Darcy stood her ground for a moment before rolling her eyes and turning to go to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2017 update: I wrote this chapter before the election. And I fucking wrote "make Asgard great again" it's like I'm a fucking prophet of dictators running their societies into the ground.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one was brave enough to ask how Darcy managed to get dressed and sneak out of her room that morning without waking Loki up. The only thing anyone knew was that Darcy was in the sitting room, reading a book long before breakfast. Jane and Thor had wandered into the room nearly an hour after Darcy, and Jane instantly ran up to her friend, wrapping her in a hug.

Darcy let out a squeak of surprise, hugging Jane back with all her might. “I’m gonna miss you so much!” she exclaimed. After a moment, she let go, only to see red marks on Jane’s arms from the hug. Darcy’s face dropped, and she took Jane’s hands in her own to inspect the damage. “I did that?” she whispered.

“It’s fine, Darcy,” Jane insisted. “It’s fine; you’re just getting used to being Aesir.” She looked back to Thor. “Right?”

Thor nodded his head rapidly, looking to reassure both brunettes. “You’ll get used to it,” he promised, sitting down on Darcy’s other side. He pet her hair and let out a heavy sigh. “Perhaps you can find ways to avoid Loki while better understanding Asgard,” he offered. “My mother will have you in etiquette and history lessons, but perhaps you could stand to learn to fight from Sif as well. It would be good for you.”

Darcy nodded her head minutely. “Yeah,” she agreed, her eyes glassy. She looked between her friends and asked, “Are you guys gonna come back before the six months is up?”

Thor winced. “I am not certain,” he confessed. “You’ll find that on Asgard, six months is a very short time. I make no promises, but we shall both try our hardest.”

It took one look for Darcy to know they wouldn’t succeed. “Well, at least I’ll get to see you when I get back,” she declared, forcing a smile on her face.

“Absolutely,” Jane replied, wrapping an arm around her friend again. After a moment, she let out a heavy sigh. “Erik and Ian aren’t gonna believe this.”

Darcy snorted in response. “Oh, they’re gonna flip,” she said. “Let ‘em down easy, especially Erik. He’s gotten a lot better, but still…”

Jane nodded in understanding. “We will,” she promised. After a brief moment, she sighed and shook her head. “I don’t know what we’re gonna do without you, Darce. You were always the one who made sure we ate between science benders.”

Darcy snorted, a smile crossing over her face. “Don’t worry, I’ve been teaching Ian well,” she promised. “He’ll make sure you all actually take care of yourselves without me.”

“If you mortals really need someone to make sure you do such basic things at your age, you’re worse off than I thought.”

His voice grated against her, and Darcy turned her head to glare at her husband. “I don’t recall asking your opinion,” she snapped.

Loki smirked. “That’s the benefit of being a man; I can give it without being asked,” he replied simply. “You left early this morning.”

“You only said I had to go back to our room each night,” Darcy reminded him. “You never said anything about how early I could leave.”

Thor looked between his brother and his friend, trying to come up with something—anything—to eliminate the animosity before he left. “Perhaps you should try to find a common ground,” he suggested. “You both like reading! What about that?”

Both Darcy and Loki rolled their eyes.

“Right,” Thor sighed. He pursed his lips together and stood up. “Unfortunately, we are expected back before breakfast on Midgard… Jane?” He looked to his girlfriend, wondering if she had any last-minute words of advice.

Jane just smiled and stood up, pulling Darcy up with her before hugging her. “I’m gonna miss you,” she said.

“You too,” Darcy replied.

The four walked out to the observatory in an uncomfortable silence, seeing Odin, Frigga, Sif, and the Warriors Three waiting for them along with the ever-watchful Heimdall.

Darcy gave Thor and Jane one last hug, promising she’d see them in six months before they left. After they were gone and the others started to head back to the palace, Loki stepped up next to Darcy. “Are you coming?” he asked, voice surprisingly calm, devoid of anger.

“I’ll go back soon,” she promised. “I think I want to look at the stars for a little while.” She gave him a small smile, some glimmer of hope that she would forgive him to get him to leave.

As she had hoped, Loki nodded. “Very well,” he agreed. He took her hand and kissed the back of it before turning to leave. She waited until he was halfway across the bridge before she turned back to look at the sky.

“I take it you’re not just here to look at the stars,” Heimdall declared, and Darcy whipped her head around to look at him, seeing a small smile on his face.

The brunette let out a tiny laugh. “I didn’t realize you were the joking type,” she said. “Thor always paints you as so… stoic.”

Heimdall shrugged. “I would most certainly lose my mind if I were to have no sense of humor,” he told her. He took in a deep breath, and the atmosphere of the observatory changed, suddenly seeming heavier, more solemn. “You’re here about the marriage.”

Darcy pursed her lips and nodded her head. “You can see everything,” she declared, a statement of the obvious more than anything else. “In all the realms… everywhere. Even here.”

“Especially here,” Heimdall replied.

Slowly, Darcy lowered her head, looking at Heimdall through her eyelashes in anticipation. After a few moments in which he said nothing, Darcy lifted her head again and crossed her arms. “You’re not gonna answer me until I ask the question, are you?”

This time, it was a smirk on Heimdall’s face. “How could I possibly have an answer before you’ve asked a question?”

Darcy groaned and rolled her eyes, dropping her arms and relaxing her shoulders. “Are you gonna tell Odin about what Loki and I are really doing or what?” she demanded.

Heimdall turned from his post to look at her. “If the two of you are doing anything treasonous, I would have no choice but to inform the king.” Darcy winced. “Fortunately, you are not.” Darcy’s entire body relaxed, and for a brief second, Heimdall thought she was actually going to collapse.

“Thank God,” Darcy muttered. “Or Valhalla or whatever Aesir say.” She sighed and looked back up at Heimdall. “You want Odin out, too, right?” she asked. “Because I need to know if you’re going to rat us out at any given moment and you’re just playing me or if you really want this place to change.”

Heimdall turned back to the stars. “To answer such a question honestly would be treason,” he declared. “I’m sure you can figure it out from there.”

Darcy let out a slow breath and nodded. “Thank you, Heimdall,” she replied. “It means a lot, really.”

“Any time, your royal highness,” Heimdall said as Darcy turned to walk away. “Any time.”

* * *

 

“Are you awake?” Darcy asked, turning her head to Loki.

A dry laugh was the immediate response. “With you tossing and turning, how could I not be?” he joked. He turned his head to look at Darcy as well. Despite their more-or-less political marriage, they both kept close to the center of the bed and to each other.

Darcy had the decency to look sheepish, and she lowered her head. “Sorry,” she muttered. “I just, uh… I can’t sleep, and I was wondering if… well, if you were up, too, and we could just… tire each other out?”

Loki smirked at her. “Why, Princess Darcy, are you propositioning me?” he teased.

Darcy growled in frustration. “Yes,” she replied. “Look, I’m exhausted and just want to sleep, so are you gonna help or not?”

“Gladly.”

Before she knew it, Loki was on top of her, his lips on hers in a bruising kiss. His hands went to her hips, locking her in place. “So,” he breathed as he pulled away. “Are there any limits you have that I should know about before we begin?”

Darcy blinked a couple of times, trying to get past the surprise. Honestly, she wasn’t sure which was more of a shock: the fact that he was asking her or the fact that he thought he might do something that would cross the line. “Um…” She licked her lips and swallowed, waiting for the words to get back in her head. “No anal without lubrication and/or preparation.” Her face turned a bit red, and she looked away for a second before turning her head back. “I don’t care what you use for lube, but no going in dry.” She let out a nervous laugh. “I like it rough, but not that rough.”

Loki raised an eyebrow and smirked at his wife, one hand moving to massage her thigh. “You like it rough?” he asked, a hint of doubt in his voice. “Well it’s too bad I promised never to hit you.”

Moving fast enough that he wouldn’t be able to stop her, Darcy flipped them over so she was on top. “I think we can make an exception,” she purred, leaning down to kiss Loki. Her hands moved from his shoulders to his neck, cradling his head as she kissed him.

Loki gave his wife a quick slap on the ass, and Darcy let out a squeak, her hips grinding down against Loki’s. She rocked against him, letting out a moan. “Oh, that feels good,” she murmured into his lips. “Do it again.”

Loki let out a dry laugh, his hands pressing firmly against Darcy’s ass. “You’ll find, Princess, that I don’t take orders.” He flipped them again, throwing Darcy into the mattress. He leaned in close, nipping at her earlobe. “I give them.”

Darcy let out another moan, her hips rising up to meet Loki, but he just pulled back. She whimpered, falling back to the bed. Not about to just settle in and give up, she grabbed Loki by the shoulders and pulled him back into her, her mouth attacking his. Loki wasn’t about to let her stay satisfied for long though, and he moved his lips down her jaw and over her neck. He didn’t even touch her, just letting his hot breath glance over her skin. Darcy tilted her head back, begging for contact.

“So no running away tonight?” Loki teased, immediately earning him another moan as Darcy’s hips bucked up. He groaned in response, burying his face in Darcy’s neck. He placed an open mouthed kiss over her pulse before pulling back and asking, “Would you like to attempt to run away? If you did, I’d certainly have to tie you up.”

Darcy hummed, looking deep into Loki’s eyes before shaking her head. “Not tonight,” she replied. “Right now, just fuck me.”

A smirk made its way onto Loki’s face. “Whatever you desire.” He moved down her body, tugging her pants down to her ankles, and she fumbled to kick them off. She sat up quickly, yanking her top off before lying back down, her breasts bouncing around from the movement. Loki chuckled, reaching up and giving her right nipple a tweak before turning his attention back to his target. Simple, cotton panties covered her sex, and Loki ran his thumb over the slit the cloth hid.

Without wasting another second, Loki grabbed the panties and tore them off, earning another squeak from Darcy. That sound was quickly replaced by a moan as Loki ran his knuckle over her slit and put his mouth over that sensitive bead of nerves above. Darcy cried out, jerking her hips up against him, and Loki used his free hand to press down on her body to keep her in place.

Darcy spread her legs further as Loki carefully slipped his index finger inside her. The immediate response was a moan, giving Loki all the encouragement he needed to let his middle finger join the first. His tongue darted out for a second before he wrapped his lips around her clit, pistoning his fingers inside her. He repeated the pattern, fingers moving in and out, licking and sucking until Darcy was a mess beneath him, begging for release.

“Please, please,” she cried out, struggling to move against the hand holding her to the bed. “Loki, please!”

He obliged her, sucking one last time while crooking his fingers and drawing them out, hitting that spot that made her see stars. He could feel her trembling and spasming before he even had his fingers all the way out, and he watched her with a smirk as he lifted his fingers to his lips, sucking Darcy’s juices off them.

Loki crawled back up Darcy’s body as she came down from her high, and he noticed her pouting at him. “What?” he asked, fearing he’d disappointed her.

“Your pants are still on,” she muttered, reaching down to pull at them.

Loki only chuckled, helping her get them off before hovering above her. “Better?” he asked, receiving a nod in reply. He leaned down, kissing her and letting out a soft hum. “You taste so good,” he whispered. His hand moved to her breast, gently massaging it before tweaking her nipple.

Darcy let out another squeak, and Loki laughed against her lips. He positively loved the sounds she made; if it was up to him, she’d always be making those sounds. “Fuck me,” Darcy whispered, and Loki could not disappoint his queen.

The man grabbed his cock, lining it up with Darcy’s slit, and he slowly pushed into her, giving her a moment to adjust to him. The woman moaned, her legs spreading as her head fell back.

“You feel so good,” Loki whispered, relishing the moment of stillness before he pulled back and thrust into her. Darcy moaned, wrapping her legs around her husband and following his movements, pushing up against him. The two began moving in time with each other, slowly at first and then faster and faster until Darcy’s movements began to stutter.

Loki leaned down, kissing Darcy and swallowing her cries of passion as she came. Feeling her come around him, Loki’s own movements grew shaky, and he found his release buried inside Darcy.

Panting and spent, Loki pulled himself off Darcy so he wouldn’t crush her and lay down next to her to catch his breath. After a moment, he rolled onto his side and wrapped an arm around Darcy’s waist, pulling her up against him.

Darcy let out a hum, rubbing her head back against Loki’s chest. “This doesn’t mean anything,” she mumbled.

“I know.”

“…Thanks,” she whispered before drifting off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, the goodbye wasn't nearly as emotional as I wanted it to be, but hey, it moved the plot forward, and there's finally some smut!

**Author's Note:**

> Reviewing is seriously the best gift you guys could ever give me. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas. :)


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